When it is time for your loved one to make the transition to a senior care facility, the choices can be overwhelming. By focusing on certain amenities, you can make a choice that will appease both you and your loved one.
Escalating Levels Of Care
Since your loved one's needs may change over the coming years, it is best to choose a facility that offers both independent living and nursing home care. First, you can reduce the stress associated with adjusting to a different living arrangement, since your loved can simply move to a different location within the facility if they need more care. Also, the capability of providing more in-depth care can be critical if your loved one experiences a significant medical emergency. You may feel more secure if the facility can handle any number of medical emergencies at a moment's notice. Another benefit to escalating care is the friendships your loved one may form at the facility are not broken because your loved one doesn't have to move away.
Aim For Engagement
Regardless of the level of care your loved one needs, you should try to find facilities that make valid attempts to keep residents engaged. This can take the form of physical engagement, such as exercise classes, and adult education courses. It is important to remain as mentally and physically active as possible. Physical activity can help seniors retain or improve their abilities to engage in activities of daily living and maintain balance, which can reduce their fall risk. Staying mentally active can reduce the incidence of cognitive decline and depression. Often, cognitive engagement is especially important for seniors who spent most of their life in professions, such as teaching, that kept them mentally active. This should not abruptly change just because their physical needs change.
Tackle Mental Health
You should ask facilities about how they proactively deal with mental health issues and how they manage existing mental health needs. Facilities should have mental health professionals readily available to evaluate residents as they enter the facility and have protocols in place for regular assessments. This makes it easier to anticipate problems with depression and anxiety in the beginning, when it may be easier to manage and prevent problems from spiraling out of control. For residents with existing mental health concerns, you should choose a facility that does more than hand out medication. Look for residential programs, such as individual and group therapy. At minimum, an outside professional should make regular visits to the facility to help with residents beyond crisis situations.
Finding the right senior care facility can be difficult because it is impossible to anticipate your loved one's future needs. By looking for facilities with many amenities, you can be more confident in your decision. Check out a facility like Paramount Parks At Eagle to get started.
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